The pledge counts towards your points for this year. Your amount paid to date is used to tally your cumulative points for years past.
Therefore, say you've pledged $1000, and paid $200 toward it.
Your points are $1000 * 0.012 for the current year.
Cumulative points would be amount paid previous years plus $200 for this year * 0.008.
If you're worried about fulfilling "Cost per seat" obligations or other such matters, then just the pledge. If you want to maximize your priority level for the ranking, then the money needs to be in.
That help?
Oh, and if you (anyone, not just you dawgpound11) want to join the BC or up your pledge, please let me know. I'm on that fund raiser deal, and no one I've called is coming off the cash. Something about a poor economy.